


Inceptum Finis

by thecarefool



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reverse Portal, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 10:51:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7615135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecarefool/pseuds/thecarefool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Close to graduating University, Rose has made a lasting friendship with a preppy nerd, Anna, who loves Dragon Age. Rose isn't as verse with the Dragon Age Universe but knows some. Suddenly her knowledge is tested when she is thrown into straight into Thedas! Can she embrace being the Herald of Andraste? Based in DAI.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Although the morning’s rain had woken me, I found myself outside my college campus with not a cloud in sight. Realizing that today was nearing the end of my final semester. Hopefully for a while. My walk from my class-to-class was quiet until I met up with my colorful roommate. At first Anna and I had nothing in common. We didn’t fully bond until one day I caught her playing Dragon Age: Origins. Of course, seeing Anna’s preppy personality and girly nature it was hard for me to picture her playing any sort of video game. From that day forward I no longer relied on first observations.  
“Rose!”  
I smiled as she ran over, nearly dropping her books in the chase, “How was class?”  
“Boring, since I’ve finish all my papers ahead of time.”  
“Show off,” Anna scoffed, as we continued our trip back towards our dorm. The air was nippy for May which explained our change in pace.  
“If you’re finished with all your work then why don’t we go home and romance a certain blond!”  
A sudden gust of wind caused me to hug my books closer to my chest. Anna's response however I couldn’t help but laugh that cut through the bitter cold air, “But aren’t you behind?”  
“Ahh who cares!”  
“As you wish.”  
I swear Anna literally skipped all the way to our dorm room. It’s true when they say you make your must lasting friendships when you hit your twenties. And I’m 24.  
As soon as we entered our room, Anna made a beeline for her room and changed into her pajamas. Clearly she had no plans on leaving the computer screen. Of course I followed suit as she prepared everything for comfortable seating with snacks.  
Standing in our shared bathroom, I couldn’t help but noticed the dark circles under my eyes. The warm water dripped from my face after I finished up a good scrubbing. I groaned, “Anna, why didn’t you tell me that I have two black eyes? No wonder why me teacher was looking at me funny.”  
“Sorry I didn’t noticed," she admitted while stuffing her face with potato chips. Honestly, Anna scared me how girly and delicate she was but deep down she was a complete slob.  
Frowning at her confession, I decided that next time she had dry toothpaste on the corners of her mouth I would forget to notice. I found a comfortable spot next to her as the options menu for the game displayed on the monitor. She clicked start without hesitating.  
“Have you been sleeping well?”  
“No,” I dragged out, “I don’t know if it’s because of the finals or what but my dreams have turned into night terrors.”  
“Well, hopefully you will be free from you nightmares,” she pointed at the screen, “Just imagine him before you go to bed and everything will work out.”  
“Anna, you scare me sometimes.”  
She laughed, “I know.”  
We played for hours and weren’t even close to being done with the first map of the game. As much as we wanted to get past the introduction of the newest game, it took Anna forever to create our character. Fortunately, we managed to recruit must of the companions before our eyes betrayed us. We both agreed to call it quits for the night and headed for bed.  
I remember collapsing. My sleep was indeed better, maybe, Anna was right.  
At least that’s what I hoped.  
My nightmare started up again. I was climbing! Needles pierced my lungs as I tried to catch my breath. There was thousands of high pitch shrieks behind me, chasing me. The environment was extremely familiar. There was a figure in front of me, a woman. Was it Anna? Maybe she’s going to wake me up from this nightmare. I grabbed her hand without thinking.  
Suddenly I felt myself falling and in an instant my body slammed against the cold floor. I heard heavy footsteps and scrapping of metal. Too exhausted, I slipped back into my dreams.


	2. Dreams?

The world was silent. No alarm. No Anna. Nothing. Golden shadows danced behind my eyelids. The floor was cold underneath my legs, stone cold. I tried to reach up and touch my face but my hands were bound. Upon this realization, my eyes snapped open. As my eyes adjusted, my gaze went my hands and saw a flash of green come from my left. I nearly jumped out of my skin. The pain was unreal. The instant I noticed the abnormality panic set in and I began violently trying to break free of my cuffs. Swords drew on me at my sudden movements. Someone shouted that I was awake.  
This couldn’t be happening. How deep was I dreaming? There’s no pain in dreams, right? And I found myself cold, freezing. My insides were frantic and as confused as my brain. I wanted to jump up and scream for help, for someone to wake me. Somehow I managed to be imprison in a medieval dungeon. At least that was want I could make out from the single source of light. Maybe Anna decided to finally prank me after the time I completely duck taped her bed. Suddenly, the doors in front of me swung open and two figures stepped through.  
Where have I seen this before?  
They were fierce as they stalked towards me. Soon they stepped into the light and I couldn’t believe my eyes. A hooded woman stopped just to the right of me. I recognized her almost immediately, Leliana. The other woman dressed in what I know as Seeker armor stood to my left. Her short hair and harsh attitude was a great way to describe Cassandra.  
Out of shock and disbelief, I blurted, “This is can’t be real!”  
Cassandra moved behind me completely ignoring my remark. She lent down and spoke, “Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now.”  
I remained silent. What could I say? Honestly this dream was deeper than I first believed. I’m never playing that game before going to bed again. Never!  
She continued, luckily stepping around me and no longer breathing down my neck, “The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you.”  
Still, I remained silent. My words wouldn’t help my situation. I had nothing intelligent to say or if I did it would come off sarcastic. I’m already in a dungeon or prison. Deepening their resentment towards me won’t help me. Even if this was a dream.  
Cassandra grabbed my forearm shaking me, “Explain this.” The green light burned in my hand flickered and flashed. Painfully, I forced my hand away from her, “I can’t!”  
“What do you mean you can’t?” Cassandra and Leliana began to pace about. Circling me like a two hawks. Two hawks that were playing bad cop, good cop. I was too busy staring at the mark on my hand. Not intimidated. My non-intimidation wasn't due to the fact these two ladies clearly scary to me. However, the shock of the current situation flooded my senses.  
Rather matter-a-fact, “I don’t know what it is or how it got there,” I answered. Must I play out this insufferable dream? I don’t remember my previous dreams only that I woke up in tears. Maybe my mind has finally broken under the stress from school. Could I be in a coma, stress coma? I thought I handled the end of my college career rather well. I must have been wrong.  
Cassandra rushed over, breaking my momentary thoughts. She angrily grabbed me, “You’re lying!” Leliana quickly broke Cassandra away from me, “We need her Cassandra.”  
Leliana turned back to me and I made no attempt to give her my attention. Gently, playing the good cop, she asked, “Do you remember what happened? How this began?”  
“Yes and no? I don’t know what happen at this, what did you call it?”  
“The Conclave,” Leliana added.  
“Right. All I remember was running, things were chasing me, and then...A woman.”  
“A woman?” Leliana inquired still be cautious.  
I recalled, “She reached out to me…but the-.”  
Cassandra interrupted me, “Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift.” She watched as Leliana walked through the door before unlocking the shackles from my wrist. The freedom of the weight was a short relief considering she left my hands tied up.  
Even though I already knew about the dangers outside and there was tear in the sky, I decide to keep up the charade. “What did happen at the…conclave?”  
Cassandra aided me as I tried to stand. I hadn’t noticed that my legs had certainly fallen asleep. She waited for me to regain feeling before answering, “It will be easier to show you.”  
The large doors opened and there bright devastating green light tore through the sky. It crackled and shot through the sky like lightening. My eyes flinched away from the daylight and the mark on my hand sparked. “We call it the Breach,” Cassandra explained, “It’s a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It’s not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave.”  
“I’m guessing it was no simple explosion.”  
“Simple or not, unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world.”  
The Breach sent a violent pulse through the sky. At that moment pain shot through my hand so aggressively I felt my bones shake. The pain drained me and I dropped to the ground. My knees hit the cold dirt that added pain on top of pain. Cassandra kneeled in front of me and showed slight concern.  
“Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads and it’s killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn’t much time.”  
Great. Wished I paid more attention to the beginning of the game.  
“The key, how?”  
“Closing the Breach. Whether that’s possible is something we shall discover shortly, it is our only chance however and yours.”  
Cassandra, once again, helped me to my feet. Her harsh, business-like gazed told me that she had no care for me. I was merely a tool that she needed to complete her mission. She started to lead again but I asked, “You still think I did this? To myself?” I motioned to the mark on my hand. She turned and without hesitation, “Not intentionally, something clearly went wrong.”  
“And what if I’m innocence?”  
“Someone is responsible and you are our only suspect. You wish to prove your innocence? This is the only way.”  
“Never heard of “innocence until proven guilty”?”  
“No.”  
This was medieval-ish time period…so trials by combat and stuff like that was popular right? And I wasn’t going to win any trials by combat.  
I sighed, defeated and quite exhausted, “I understand.”  
Cassandra stepped toward you. Her expression wasn’t what I had expected, curiosity, “Then?”  
“I will do whatever I can. The least I could do is try.” She seemed to approve of my declaration and soon I was following her through the village. Bystanders gawked and shouted as I walked. They had already convicted me.  
Cassandra seemed to have read my mind, “They have decided your guilt. They need it. The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy Divine Justina, head of the chantry. The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between the mages and Templars. She brought their leaders together, now they are dead.”  
“Excuse me!” I heard a familiar voice in the passing crowd. “Rose!” Suddenly I heard my name quiet the crowd’s gossip and slander. Cassandra stopped short in front of me. Then I saw her wedged between to guards and trying to reach me.  
“Anna!”


End file.
